Safe
by WeBuiltThePyramids
Summary: Walter has to stay in the hospital overnight. Post 4.12.


**I pretty much wrote this little scene in my head as I was struggling to sleep last night. I feel like I get my fic ideas from insomnia a lot.**

* * *

"I'm going to stay here with you tonight," Paige said, touching his shoulder.

"Mmm." Walter looked up at her. "What about Ralph?"

"Don't worry about me, Walt," the boy said with a smile. "I'm gonna be sleeping down the hall."

"Yes, apparently you are," Paige said.

Walter thought he detected a slight exasperation in Paige's tone. "What else have I missed?"

"I hacked the hospital's database and discovered that they are thirty percent empty tonight. Meaning one less room won't limit their ability to help anyone. So I listed a room as out of order and threw my bag down in it, so I can sleep without anyone discovering me."

"That's my boy," Walter said proudly. Ralph grinned.

"Please don't encourage him," Paige said. But there was a glint in her eyes that told Walter she wasn't entirely serious. "Ralph, say goodnight, please."

Ralph walked around the bed and reached out, resting his hand on one of Walter's. "Good night."

"Night, buddy," Walter said, smiling affectionately. Ralph smiled back, then looked up and across the bed at his mother.

"Please don't get yourself in trouble," Paige said.

"I won't."

"Night, sweetheart."

"Night, Mom."

Walter watched Ralph go, then looked back at Paige. "I'm sorry I ruined your weekend."

"Shh," Paige said dismissively, taking his hand and lacing their fingers. "It wouldn't have been the same without you there anyway."

Walter bit his lip. "I…I think that's what I meant. I'm sorry I didn't go with you. I shouldn't have said I didn't need everyone." He knew he had said as much when everyone was still in the room. But he wanted to say it again. She had to know. "Last Christmas, all I wanted was to spend time with you, and I wound up alone at the garage. And this year I chose that, I…I don't know what I was thinking."

"Hey." She reached up with her free hand, then hesitated before putting it down on his shoulder again. Walter wished his injuries weren't preventing her from stroking his hair. "You stayed behind because you know we needed money. You're scared that the company will fail and the reason you're so scared is you think if it fails we will all lose everything we've built with each other." She smiled gently. "Even before your fall, you knew you needed us. You just didn't know you knew."

"Well," he said, "thanks for the credit." His eyes wandered, looking at nothing in particular. Nothing in the world felt better than being alone with her. And of course, in a world where they'd never met, he couldn't have been married to her. But he still felt uncomfortable. How dare his brain – even while dying – betray Paige like that? What did that say about him?

"Hey," she said. "Something wrong?"

He grunted and looked back at her. "It's just been a long, confusing day."

She nodded sympathetically. "You really should get some rest."

"Here." Walter shifted his weight, moving over and shifting his weight. A sharpness shot though him and he groaned in pain.

"Walter!" Paige's eyes widened.

"No, no!" He said quickly as she reached for the button to call a nurse. "I'm fine. Just…just sore." He patted the empty space beside him.

"I don't know if that can hold both of us," she said hesitantly.

"You think I'm even close to the heaviest person this hospital has ever cared for?"

"I suppose not." Paige sat down on the edge and tentatively swung her legs up. She shifted onto her side, facing him, settling comfortably down on his arm. "You feeling any better?"

Her body was warm, solid, reassuringly present against his. "Yeah," he said with a small smile. "Much."

"Mmm good." She slid her arm across him, her hand coming to rest on his chest. He kissed her forehead, sliding the arm around her shoulders down to her bottom, squeezing gently. "Wal – ter," she said, her tone playful, knowing he was only being affectionate. "No funny business. We're in a hospital."

"Yes, my sweet," he said, his eyes closing. His body was crying for sleep, sometimes a bad sign when dealing with a head injury. He craned his neck around to look at the monitors. Everything looked normal. He was probably just legitimately tired. And he could tell by how Paige's body felt cuddled up to his that she was starting to surrender to sleep as well. He knew she wouldn't let herself if he was in any danger. So if she was relaxing like this, he had to be okay. His fingers lightly stroked her hand as it lay on his chest. "I love you."

Paige mumbled something in response, and he felt her ankle hook over his.

He was safe. She was here. Walter let himself fall asleep.


End file.
